I've mentioned this one before, but the closest I saw was in Cherokee, NC. Flair vs Wahoo for the US title. The atmosphere was a bit hostile for the Nature Boy. Before the match even starts as they are walking around inside the ring, some guy in the top of the stands throws a chunk of brick at Flair, it misses and hits the ref square in the mouth. Blood everywhere. They brought him by on a stretcher near where we were sitting, that wasn't pretty. The home crowd settled down a bit after that.

Also had a crazy distant relative who kept bragging that he was going to punch out some heel, I'll have to check with family to see who it was. Anyway, he did sucker punch the guy on the way to the ring and all he did was look at him, roll his eyes and keep walking. Didn't even faze the guy. I was too young to remember that, but my brothers laugh about it.

One promotion decided to put Wahoo in a mask after he lost a loser-leaves-town match.Wahoo came down to the ring & was hadcuffed to the ropes.He didn't know any other way of working and started throwing his trademark chops, which - if there was still any doubt in anyone's mind - very clearly signalled it was him.

There are some crazy stories about him including one in which he allegedly drank a quart of motor oil.He claims the only side effect was that he smelled like a truck for about a week.

I've mentioned this one before, but the closest I saw was in Cherokee, NC. Flair vs Wahoo for the US title. The atmosphere was a bit hostile for the Nature Boy. Before the match even starts as they are walking around inside the ring, some guy in the top of the stands throws a chunk of brick at Flair, it misses and hits the ref square in the mouth. Blood everywhere. They brought him by on a stretcher near where we were sitting, that wasn't pretty. The home crowd settled down a bit after that.

Also had a crazy distant relative who kept bragging that he was going to punch out some heel, I'll have to check with family to see who it was. Anyway, he did sucker punch the guy on the way to the ring and all he did was look at him, roll his eyes and keep walking. Didn't even faze the guy. I was too young to remember that, but my brothers laugh about it.

At what point did you personally feel that the NWA you’d grown up with evolved into "an abomination" of its former self?

At what point did you personally feel that the NWA you’d grown up with evolved into "an abomination" of its former self?

Officially for me is when it became WCW and they had Flair cut his hair. I was a little down on it before that, as for me it really changed too much when it became WCW, but the Flair hair deal was the nail in the coffin for me. There was some decent wrestling after that, guys like Muta, Sting, etc... but it just had a more cartoonish feel.

Officially for me is when it became WCW and they had Flair cut his hair. I was a little down on it before that, as for me it really changed too much when it became WCW, but the Flair hair deal was the nail in the coffin for me. There was some decent wrestling after that, guys like Muta, Sting, etc... but it just had a more cartoonish feel.

Officially for me is when it became WCW and they had Flair cut his hair. I was a little down on it before that, as for me it really changed too much when it became WCW, but the Flair hair deal was the nail in the coffin for me. There was some decent wrestling after that, guys like Muta, Sting, etc... but it just had a more cartoonish feel.

Oh man....I couldn't agree more. Especially with that Flair cutting his hair and Black Scorpion bit. I think Ole Anderson was on crack with that decision.

I don't remember Wahoo in a mask either, and I think that would stand out with me.

I would say about the same about when the magic ended. By the time the haircut rolled around, I had sort of lost touch for a bit.

My favorite memories revolve around going to the Asheville Civic Center, Sunday afternoon, 3:00 bell time. And you could pick up the paper and read the results the next morning. Nothing like the good old days.

I saw a few good fights there, some in the stands, some with some guy that wanted to run to the ring.

One great memory was a very old little old lady that would sit in the front row, EVERY TIME the doors opened. The wrestlers got to know her and would acknowledge her. It was a good way to get heat and she would certainly do her part.

The amazing one off your list would be Valiant. I am not sure what he had, but he had plenty of it, he was always way over.

Of course, the biggest was (even is) Flair. His heel turns became almost meaningless. Not matter what he did, he would still get cheered. He would be good during his pursuit of the belt, then come out with three women on his arm and turn immediately the next night. I don't think he ever held the belt as a face.

"Wild Fire" Tommy Rich was mid - late 70's to early 80's. He was there in the days that the 4 horsemen formed, I was watching augusta championship wrestling when AA compared themselves to the 4 horsemen of the bible. Tommy Rich was in the days with: Tony Atlas (before TA blew up for Bodybuilding), Wrestler #1 & wrestler #2, SD "special delivery" jones...etc.

Dusty always had charisma and was generally booked at the top, or at least towards there. Valiant could be in a feud with an absolute nobody and would get some of, if not the biggest, pops of the evening. He was basically a mid-carder, but he stayed over.

Tommy Rich was in Georgia Championship Wrestling during his main run in the early to mid 80's. He did a little bit of stuff for JCP, but that was very limited. There was always an exchange of talent between the 2 promotions. Rich then went on to mid-south and was in a tag-team, The Fabulous Ones with Eddie Gilbert.

As far as stories, never heard any from the Carolina's, but I know he was supposed to be quite the ladies man in Georgia. So odd that he had the NWA title on him for such a short time.

No Eaton stories, but I did meet "Sweet" Stan Lane a few yrs ago. He stopped by our store in Greensboro when I worked there and bought a home gym for his gf. He was still in good shape and we did talk a little about wrestling. He was very disappointed in how it had changed, but had good things to say about his time in the NWA with the Midnight Express and the fans in the Carolinas.

No Eaton stories, but I did meet "Sweet" Stan Lane a few yrs ago. He stopped by our store in Greensboro when I worked there and bought a home gym for his gf. He was still in good shape and we did talk a little about wrestling. He was very disappointed in how it had changed, but had good things to say about his time in the NWA with the Midnight Express and the fans in the Carolinas.

Didn't Bobby Eaton have a beef with Arn Anderson back in the day over something? I believe it was over how Eaton felt that the titles were not being distributed equally in the NWA and the Horsemen had all the titles.

Didn't Bobby Eaton have a beef with Arn Anderson back in the day over something? I believe it was over how Eaton felt that the titles were not being distributed equally in the NWA and the Horsemen had all the titles.

I hadn't heard that, but I could see what he was saying from his point of view. RnR vs. Midnight was a way over fued and the titles certainly helped it, but on the other hand with the way the Horsemen were billed, it made more sense to keep the titles on them for long stretches. Fans absolutely loved seeing faces chase the Horsemen.